Proper 10
Worship
Aids To The Psalms
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
O where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day
for darkness is as light to you.
Alternate Image
The Singer is watching a cat play with a mouse. The mouse runs one way; the cat blocks it with his paw. The mouse runs another way; the cat blocks it again. The mouse hides under a leaf; the cat blows the leaf away. The mouse runs up a mole hill; the cat is already on top of the hill waiting for it. The mouse runs everywhere it can think of to escape the cat; the cat is always there. The cat then picks up the quaking mouse and kisses it. The Singer wonders if the mouse knew that when it ran to the left it was in danger of falling over a cliff and when it ran to the right it was in danger of falling into a pond? Did it know that the cat was protecting it all the time?
Reflection
How we try to hide from God. When we do those things we know that God will not approve of, we foolishly try to hide. We can cover up our selfishness with a show of generosity, but down deep we know that God has looked into our hearts and knows our true motivation. We can avoid going to God's house, the church and forget that our house is God's house as well. In fits of self-destruction we attempt to abuse ourselves with alcohol, drugs or foolish chances; these are also attempts to hide from God and ourselves. We are always naked before God, as exposed and as frail as a little mouse. However, our God is not just snoopy, or is our God out to get us. Our God examines us so closely because God is hopelessly in love with us and wants to know all about us. Knowing all about us, God can protect us, to the extent where God became mouselike as well. Dare we be brave mice for Christ? Of course!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
O where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day
for darkness is as light to you.
Alternate Image
The Singer is watching a cat play with a mouse. The mouse runs one way; the cat blocks it with his paw. The mouse runs another way; the cat blocks it again. The mouse hides under a leaf; the cat blows the leaf away. The mouse runs up a mole hill; the cat is already on top of the hill waiting for it. The mouse runs everywhere it can think of to escape the cat; the cat is always there. The cat then picks up the quaking mouse and kisses it. The Singer wonders if the mouse knew that when it ran to the left it was in danger of falling over a cliff and when it ran to the right it was in danger of falling into a pond? Did it know that the cat was protecting it all the time?
Reflection
How we try to hide from God. When we do those things we know that God will not approve of, we foolishly try to hide. We can cover up our selfishness with a show of generosity, but down deep we know that God has looked into our hearts and knows our true motivation. We can avoid going to God's house, the church and forget that our house is God's house as well. In fits of self-destruction we attempt to abuse ourselves with alcohol, drugs or foolish chances; these are also attempts to hide from God and ourselves. We are always naked before God, as exposed and as frail as a little mouse. However, our God is not just snoopy, or is our God out to get us. Our God examines us so closely because God is hopelessly in love with us and wants to know all about us. Knowing all about us, God can protect us, to the extent where God became mouselike as well. Dare we be brave mice for Christ? Of course!
